The Returns
by Kara8
Summary: Three years after becoming Queen, Jessie returns to Tokyo only to find a new evil is after the Sailor Scouts...
1. Default Chapter

Hey all! I'm really sorry this took so long, but I'm still working on the next fic. It's not going too well at the moment, but the prequel in the Moon Kingdom is. Anyway, this one takes place two and a half years after Second Chances for those of you who've read that. So far as reviews go, that would be Wingnut. And for anyone interested, I found the first version of Sailor Night. I won't be posting it because it's hopelessly bad, but anyone who wants to read it, let me know and I'll e-mail it to you. Enjoy!!

THE RETURNS PROLOGUE

"You're one of the best gymnasts I've ever seen... You don't obey the rules... After this month, I'm afraid you won't be able to continue taking lessons here... I'm sorry, Jessie."

Jessica woke up with tears running her cheeks. It had been nearly three years since the last time she'd been rejected from a gymnastic school. Why would that nightmare return after all this time?

"Queen Jessica, are you alright?" Zoisite asked as she turned on the light and entered the simple bedroom.

Jessie pushed her long, midnight black hair out of her eyes and glared at her lifelong friend. "I thought we agreed you weren't going to call me that anymore." she grumbled. "But yeah, I'm just fine. I just woke up from a nightmare. "How'd you know I was awake anyway? I only now opened my eyes."

"I always check on you, Jess. Every night."

Jessie continued to glare at Zoisite. "I also thought you weren't going to do _that_ anymore either. I can wake myself up from a bad dream, Zoisite. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Old habits don't die easily, my friend. Which one was it, the spiders or the snakes?"

"The gymnastics." The young Queen turned over and looked at the alarm clock beside her bed. "You've got a busy day before you, Z. Go back to bed and don't get up until at least nine o'clock. That's an order."

"Yes Your Majesty." Zoisite grinned impishly. "I'll see you when I drag you out of bed in five or six hours. Good night."

"Good night." Jessie murmured, already half asleep.

*@*@*@*@*@

"Hey, guys!" Serena laughed as she joined her four friends. "Sorry I'm late. It took a while to wake up this morning."

"You're slipping again, Serena." Rei commented. "But at least you're not an hour late again."

"I wonder if Jessie's managed to get the Negaverse under control yet. She said she'd try to visit sometime. It's high time she kept that promise."

"Well, Luna's talked to her, you know." Ami said. "And she and Artimis have been acting very secretively lately. Maybe they're planning something special for us."

"Yeah, I wonder what's going on now." Mina mussed aloud.

*@*@*@*@*@

"And do you, Malachite, take this woman…"

Jessie smiled as her mind wandered slightly. After three long years, there was finally peace in the Negaverse, and two of her best friends were getting married.

"You may now kiss the bride." The minister of the peace finished the space-old ceremony.

Jessica was the first to stand and applaud as Malachite took Zoisite into his arms and kissed her.

As always happened, cameras and reporters had followed her to this small clearing. And what had been intended to be a small wedding of perhaps twenty had turned into a gala affair of several hundred. She felt guilty for causing all the publicity, but they had insisted that she be there in person for all the planning. 

"I warned you not to include me in the wedding." she reminded them in a teasing voice. "I think the cameras were more on me crying my eyes out than on the two of you. Zoisite, Malachite, I'm so happy for you. And I'll tell you your present right now, before our public leaves. I'm sending you to Earth for a week-long vacation. You've earned it. Besides, there'll be some work I'll need you to take care of later on, so this will be a good time to learn your way around the planet. Also, it'll give _me_ a night's sleep without anyone checking on me."

"I knew there'd be a catch." Zoisite mumbled, but her eyes were laughing, showing she was pleased.

"I'll be going down myself soon. It's high time I took Sailor Moon on that shopping spree I promised her. And I could certainly use a break."

"Define 'soon.'" Jedite ordered as he walked up behind the lucky couple.

"Don't worry, Jedite." the Queen laughed. "You're invited to come too. You never got to see more than Tokyo before you decided to play chicken on that runway. If you do go, I don't want you causing any problems with the Sailor Scouts, alright? Things are just now getting settled from the last war. Let's not start another one."

"You didn't answer Lord Jedite's question." A reporter accused as she waved the cameraman to her side.

"And I'm not going to either." Jessie replied. "I want a vacation _away_ from the Negaverse, which means _away_ from the press. Now, I want you and all the other reporters gone in five minutes. This is the wedding of my friends, not the one I'm planning for myself."

Then, refusing to say anything more on the subject, she turned and walked out of the clearing, laughing softly the whole time.

*@*@*@*@*@

"Queen Jessica Elizabeth Klinto!" Jedite half shouted. "Why didn't you tell us you were getting married?"

"I am?" Jessie asked innocently. "That's news to me. When do I meet my future husband?"

"But you just said that you were planning your own wedding. What else could you mean?"

"Jedite," she sighed in a bored tone. "I've been planning my wedding since I was being baby-sat by Zoisite. Every girl has a dream wedding. I just wanted to get rid of those idiots with the cameras. Plus, it'll give the spies we haven't found yet a headache trying to figure out who the lucky guy is."

Jedite glared at her impish face and began to laugh. "You really had us going there, Jess. Have you seen channel five? They've got you engaged to everyone from the cook to Malachite. They seem to have forgotten that he's about to start his honeymoon right now."

"Hmmm… Me and Malachite, that might be interesting." She managed to complete the thought with a straight face. "Are there any pictures of me with the gardener's grandson? I've really become quite attached to him."

"He's two months old." Zoisite smiled as she and Malachite waited for the ship to give the boarding call. "But it _would_ cause quite a stir in the public."

"When are you going to get married, Jedite?" Jessie asked suddenly. "I've been planning different wedding for you too. All I need is the girl so I can picture the dress."

"When we find a girl good enough for him." Malachite answered offhandly.

"Never, you mean." Jedite laughed. "When I find someone I can love, you'll be the first one to know, Queen Jess."

Before anyone could comment, the captain came up to inform them it was time for the newlyweds to board.

"We'll see you soon." Zoisite said as she walked away.

"Sooner than you think, my friend." Jessie answered, only barely loud enough to be heard.

"What do you mean?" Malachite asked.

"You'll see." Jedite replied as he handed them their bags. "Now go and have a good time."

Malachite and Zoisite walked onto the ship which would take them to the old Negaverse castle that existed on the Earth's North Pole. From there, they'd be able to teleport to whatever part of the planet they wished.

*@*@*@*@*@

"Luna, when are you planning to let us in on your little secret?" Serena demanded. "You and Artimis are up to something, and we want to know what it is."

"You'll find out tomorrow." Darien promised as Luna ignored her. "They've been working really hard on this, so just let it be a surprise, Meatball Head."

"You're in on this too, Darien?" she moaned. "Just great. Betrayed by my own boyfriend."

"Oh, come on, Serena." Rei said. "We've waited this long, another day won't hurt us."

"Yeah, if you say so." Serena sighed. "I'll be back in a while. I'm going to the Arcade."

"See you later, Serena." the girls called after her.

"That was close." Ami said. "I thought she might try to get it out of you some more. It's really been bugging her."

"Well, we have been kind of obvious that we have a secret." Artimis pointed out. "That's why we didn't tell you until last night. If you knew beforehand, it might have slipped out."

"I wonder where Jessie got the money to pay for all of this. I mean, it didn't cost much, but where would she get Earth money after all these years?" Mina mussed.

Darien shrugged. "After she yelled at me for dumping Serena, she left a bunch of notes, remember? Well, mine had close to five hundred dollars in it, asking me to put it in the bank in my name. I'd say that she'd been planning this week since the moment Beryl died. She knew all along what would happen if we won that fight. I wonder if she ever regrets her decision to go with us?"

"Why should I, Darien?" the subject of their discussion asked, turning the corner and coming into sight. "You would have won without me, and I would have still had the same destiny."

"Huh?" they all turned in surprise when they heard her voice.

"It's Queen Jessica!" Luna gasped. "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Surprise." Jessie said with a slight smile. "But there's no Queen here, I'm afraid. Just Jessie. Oh, get over here, Jedite. You promised you wouldn't attack them."

"Jedite's here too?" Lita asked.

"Yup. So are Malachite and Zoisite, but don't expect to see them. They're on their honeymoon."

"They got married?" they said in unison. "When?"

"Just this morning." Jessie grinned as she patted her handbag. "I've got it all on tape if you want to see it later. There's a surprise ending right before the newscasters left. I don't know why they were all so frightened, though. All I did was tell them to go away."

"I don't think it was that which scared them." Jedite laughed. "I think it was that announcement you made right afterward."

"What announcement?" Mina asked. "And you still haven't told us why you're a day early."

"The ship was ready sooner than we expected, so I decided to add an extra day to my break. The people will be quite upset with me when I get back, I'm afraid. I never really told them when I'd be leaving- _or_ when I'd be back."

"Did you even tell them you were _leaving?_"

"I'm surprised they even let me leave the throne room without telling them where I'm going. Of course I told them I was leaving, Rei. For some reason, they seem to think I'm so important that I need an armed bodyguard wherever I go."

"So where's your escort now?" Ami asked. 

"Right there." Jessie grinned as she pointed at Jedite. "I figured that if I had to have a babysitter, it might as well be someone I can trust. So I picked my three friends who seem to spend so much time with me anyway. Plus, they know what's _really_ going on in my head."

"It's not very pretty." Darien guessed.

"We'd better get back to Serena." Lita said. "We'll see you at the party tomorrow, right?"

"Of course." Jessie grinned. "I'm staying at the Lyon Hotel if you need to get a hold of me. Room 128."

"Why aren't you staying with your mom?" Mina asked. "I'm sure there's plenty of room."

To my knowledge, you and Serena are the only people on Earth who know I even exist. Anyone else who knew me has forgotten all about me. That includes Mom. There's no way I could put her through the pain of not knowing where I've been all this time. I'll see you tomorrow at ten, right?"

"Yeah, sure. Ten tomorrow morning. See you then." Rei said.

*@*@*@*@*@

"What was that all about?" Jedite asked once they had entered Jessie's room next door to his own. "What's this plan you have with the Sailor Scouts?"

"The Princess Serenity's birthday is tomorrow, and we've planned a party for her. She knows that much, but she doesn't know that I'll be there. Darien's gotten a rather large box I can hide in. I've sent presents to all of them since Beryl was killed, so I guess you could say I'm part of her gift this year."

"What time is this party you've got planned? You'll need to have this box wrapped. Or has that been done while you were planning the Queen's Escape?"

"All finished. I just get in, they put the lid on, and Serena's got a ready-made present."

"And just when do we leave in the morning?"

"There is no _we_, Jedite." she answered firmly. "I'm going by myself. If anything goes wrong, the Sailor Scouts will be _more_ than able to protect me. Of course, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. You can go and explore anywhere on the world- so long as you're at least ten miles away from me." Jessie smirked at his crestfallen face at this final comment. "I _don't_ want you following me around, Jedite. Even babysitters get days off, you know. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap. This jetlag's a killer."

*@*@*@*@*@

Zoisite and Malachite roamed through the streets of Tokyo, remembering how different things were since the last time they had been to Earth.

"Why didn't we see the beauty before?" Malachite murmured sadly. "Nephrite did, that's why he turned his back on Beryl."

"And I killed him for it." she sighed. "I wish I could change that. But there's nothing I can do now. Do you think Jessie ever blames me for his death?"

"Why should she? You lay more than enough blame on yourself for several people. And she understands something you don't: that it wasn't your fault. Beryl had control over all of us. _She_ killed Nephrite, not you."

"Maybe." she shook her head.

*@*@*@*@*@

Serena just barely beat the others to the Arcade. Eavesdropping was one of the few habits she had not yet completely broken. Having overheard the plans for her party, she now felt guilty. Jessie had worked very hard on her surprise visit, and she'd just blown it!

And Darien and the other girls already knew about it! Maybe she could pretend she hadn't heard anything.

"Earth to Serena!" Lita said, waving her hand in front of the blond girl's face. "Where'd you go, the Moon?"

"No," Serena answered. "Just China."

"So, are you looking forward to the party tomorrow?" Mina asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. Mom, Dad and Sammy are taking me out to dinner tonight. Uh-oh," she added, glancing at her watch. "I've got to go or I'll be late. See ya!"

*@*@*@*@*@

Far above the Earth, a dark and evil being watched as the time to strike came nearer.

"The Wiseman failed because he was weak." the being whispered coldly. "He was the favorite of the Death Phantom, yet he was unable to control the mind of one human. And the human was a mere child at that! I, the true servant of the Death Phantom, will destroy this simple world and help bring order from the chaos that life creates!"

*@*@*@*@*@

Jessie slipped back into her room and sighed. She'd made it. She had managed to avoid Jedite while exploring her old town. Granted, it had been over two years since she'd last been on Earth, but she was still surprised at how much Tokyo had changed.

Still, it had been a good afternoon and she was tired. That jetlag she'd told Jedite about was starting to kick in.

"So," Jedite commented as she plopped onto the bed. "You're going to take a nap, are you?"

"Yes, I am." she muttered, not caring that she'd been caught. "Right now." Her breathing slowed as she fell asleep.

He only smiled as he left the sleeping Queen's room and returned to his own.

The young woman was definitely becoming more independent every day. She was slowly returning to the child he'd know before the War had caused so many problems for her. She no longer needed to worry about choosing between her friends, and now she had the chance to be truly happy.

Here on Earth, he no longer had to follow every step she took, but he still had to see to her safety. However, the Sailor Scouts would be with her, and she was a Scout in her own right as well. Even if she had only transformed once in this lifetime.

Jedite shook his head sadly as he remembered where she had gone that day. The first place had been her old home. She had hidden in the bushes until her mother had driven up from work and gone into the house. As far away as he had been, he could still see the pain she'd felt at seeing her only family again.

After that, she had wandered aimlessly around the town, at last coming to the park in the woods, where she'd remained for several hours. She had practiced that strange Earth-dance she called gymnastics, then simply laid in the sun, enjoying the warmth and trying to gain some color on her chalk-white skin.

When she'd started back to the hotel, he'd teleported back to her room to wait for her there.

Now, he wondered if she really belonged in the Negaverse or if she would be happier here on Earth. He knew that she'd return, her sense of duty was too strong. Even if it meant she'd never be able to visit Earth again, she would still go back to the Negaverse as their Queen.

I know it's a lot longer than I planned for it to be, but it makes the most sense to end it here. Each Chapter will be the length of one day, so they'll be really long. Also, I'm working now, so it'll take a much longer time to type each part. Comments and insults a all welcome. ladykay136@aol.com That's all for now. Later!


	2. Day One

CHAPTER ONE DAY ONE

"Happy Birthday, Serena!" the girls called out as she walked into Rei's temple.

"Thanks guys." she smiled. "Hey, where's Darien?"

"He'll be here in a few minutes." He needed a bit of help with the gift Jessie sent. It's a pretty big box. He's had it for about a month now." Mina explained.

"There he is." Ami said, pointing a few feet away.

Sure enough, when Serena turned around, she saw her boyfriend walking up, pushing a handcart which held a huge box, easily half as tall as he was.

"Okay," Serena said. "That is a big box."

"And heavy." Darien agreed. "I think she sent you a bunch of boulders. Or maybe an entire mountain.

From inside the box, Jessie scrawled in mock-rage. 'I'll get you for that, Darien,' she thought, shifting to a more comfortable position.

"Well, the party's around back." Rei said. "Think you can push it a little farther?"

"I suppose so." he sighed. "Anything for my Meatball Head's birthday."

"She left strict instructions that hers was to be opened first." Luna said. "But she didn't say why."

"In that case, I'll open it last." Serena shrugged.

"Oh, come on Serena," Lita laughed. "You're dieing to know what she sent you. I'm surprised you haven't opened it right here.

"It can wait. Besides, I always open hers last."

'Okay," Jessie thought, grinning. 'As soon as this thing stops, I'm teleporting out of here. That'll really scare people when she opens it. Poor Darien, he'll be the one who'll be really frightened. He _knows_ that I'm in this box. Let's see… the nearest tree should work just fine.' When she realized she was no longer moving, she smiled and waited for just a moment before slowing teleporting out of the box.

*@*@*@*@*@

"So," the Death Phantom said over the communicator. "Queen Jessica of the Negaverse is on Earth, you say?"

"Yes, Master." his follower replied. "She seems to be attending what the humans call a birthday party. Her bodyguards are nowhere to be found."

"Excellent. Capture her and force her to release Metellia. With her power, I will be able to cleanse both the Universe and the Negaverse. The Wiseman failed me. Do *not* make the same mistake. Understand Jewel?"

"I understand perfectly, Death Phantom." the woman acknowledged as she bowed. "Queen Jessica _will_ be in your grasp."

*@*@*@*@*@

"Okay," Serena commented as she looked into the large, now-vacant box. "What's the joke? This thing is completely empty."

"What are you talking about?" Darien demanded. "I put the gift in myself. And I assure you she was still breathing."

"Gotcha!" Jessie called down from her tree. "Sorry Darien, I couldn't resist getting outta there. That comment you made about what was in my present was rude. I do NOT weigh as much as a mountain! I was very insulted when you said that."

"You're here, Jessie," Serena exclaimed happily. "You're really here."

"Of course I'm here, Serena." the young Queen answered as she jumped down. "I told you I'd take you on a shopping spree when we got back from the Negaverse, didn't I?" Jessie smiled as she turned her face to the warm sun. Then, as she started to turn away, a flicker of irritation showed in her features. "I'm going to kill him," she muttered. "I'm _really_ going to kill him."

"Who?" Rei asked as she looked up at the sky.

"Jedite," Jessie growled. "I told him to stay at least ten miles away from me today, so he decided to go ten miles straight up into space."

Serena laughed. "You can't blame him for that."

"No, but I can yell at him for it." Jessie looked back into space. "Excuse me, I'm going to send him away now. I'll be right back."

"Whoa." Darien said after she'd teleported back into space. "I've never seen Jessie so upset. I wonder why she's as angry as she is?"

"Well, it's kinda hard to pretend that you're just a normal person when you've got a bodyguard keeping an eye on you from ten miles up." Serena said. "And that's all she wants to be able to do, pretend she's a normal human being. I know I complain about how little free time I get, but at least my every move isn't the center of attention of the entire Universe the way hers are in the Negaverse. What's wrong with a week or so on a planet where no one knows who you are?"

"Not a thing." Jessie answered, teleporting back in. "And I for one intend to be a tourist here. There'll be plenty of ceremonial visits on both sides later on. We'll all be bored outta our skulls then, so let's enjoy what Jedite is calling the Queen's Escape."

"Is he going back to the Negaverse now?" Ami asked.

"No. Just to the hotel. Our ship won't be returning for a week. But first, we've got to go back to the North Pole to meet it. We didn't want to frighten the normal people." Her smile seemed far brighter than it had when they'd first seen her that day. "Oh, I almost forgot." she added, fishing into her purse. "Here's your birthday presents." She calmly pulled out six small packages and handed one to each of them. "If someone tries to destroy Earth again, these should help. I meant to give them to you sooner, but I only found them last month. I'd really love to know just how Beryl got ahold of them."

"How do they work?" Mina asked as she placed the ring on her finger.

"Transform as you normally would." Jessie answered. "The ring gives you a new and more powerful attack. Since I can't use your powers, I don't know what the attacks are."

Each of the five Scouts had received a sliver ring with the symbol of her respective planet engraved on it. Darien's box had contained a set of cufflinks which had a rose engraved on each of them.

"Didn't you find a ring for yourself?" Serena asked as she slipped her own on.

"Hmm?" Jessie replied, lost in thought for a moment. "Oh, yes, there was one for me too. The ring itself was too big for my finger, so I put it on a chain and wear it around my neck. See? It has a star to symbolize Night. I'm going to Molly's mother's store to have it resized if possible. It's only a little loose, so it shouldn't need much work. So, what's next on the agenda?"

*@*@*@*@*@

Jewel stared at her reflection in the mirror as she made her plans to destroy the planet called Earth. She appeared to be about twenty years old, but she could no longer remember her age. All she knew was that she had been raised by the Death Phantom from the time she was an infant.

"Jem!" she called out, replacing her mirror. "Come forth!"

"I am here, Lady Jewel." Jem responded as he walked into the room.

"Excellent. As you know, we have been instructed by the Death Phantom to capture Queen Jessica. In your opinion, will it be possible to take her without alarming the Sailor Scouts to our presence?"

Jem pushed back his lavender hair to reveal honey-brown eyes and nodded. "There is one way, my Lady." he admitted. "But I doubt you wish to take it. As you must realize, you resemble the Queen very much. You could surely capture her and take her place during the time she is on Earth after dying your blond hair to black. While you are earning the trust of the Sailor Scouts, I could deliver Queen Jessica to our Master so that he may extract from her the secret of releasing Metellia from her prison. I know that the idea of becoming Jessica is distasteful to you, but it may be the only way, Jewel."

"I was afraid you might say that." she replied regretfully. "Very well, I will make the suggestion to our Lord and Master while you monitor the movements of the Queen."

Jewel turned back to the mirror in order to contact her Master, while without realizing it, she fingered the sun-engraved ring on her hand; the only clue to her past…

*@*@*@*@*@

It was late evening when Jessie finally got back to the Lyon Hotel. She opened the door carefully in case Jedite was waiting for her inside. He wasn't.

Keeping the promise she'd made earlier, she knocked lightly on the door between their rooms and called out that she was back.

When she turned around, she gasped. "Wh-who are you?" she asked in a whisper. Standing before her was her mirror image- if she had been blond and there had been a mirror in front of her, that is. "You look like me!"

"My name is Jewel." the stranger hissed. "And I am a servant to the Death Phantom. Jem, grab her now!"

Jessie felt a hand covering her mouth, while another grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her.

"Now, I am going to ask you some questions and Jem is going to move his hands so you can answer them. We're trusting you not to scream. Got it?"

The young Queen nodded, frightened but calm.

"Very good. First question: how many of your bodyguards are on Earth?"

"All three." Jessie answered. "Zoisite and Malachite are on their honeymoon. Jedite is the only one protecting me."

"Excellent. Next, how long are you remaining on this pitiful planet?"

She said nothing for a long moment. "One week." she answered as Jem roughly squeezed her arms.

"Is there anything I should have in order to convince the Sailor Scouts I am you? Items or knowledge?"

"Today was Princess Serenity's birthday. I'm taking her on a shopping spree tomorrow. But even if you know everything about them that I do, had experienced every thought and feeling I have, you won't be able to make them believe that you are me. Your eyes are too hard and your voice is too cruel. Little things will be your biggest mistake, Jewel. I don't know why you're doing this, but you will fail."

"We shall see." Jewel smiled as she rubbed her ring, drawing the captive's attention to it for just a moment.

"They might want to talk about the day that Beryl died and what happened to us then. Even if you've memorized every public speech I've ever made, you still wouldn't know what happened that day. I've never talked about it with anyone- not even those who were there. And I won't. It's not my idea of a pleasant memory."

Jem squeezed her arms tighter in response to her comment, trying to force her to talk about it, but she remained silent. "You are weak and pathetic, a stubborn female child with no right to be Queen." he muttered in her ear coldly.

"Well, you got four of the six right." she said, twisting slightly to look into his eyes. "You see, I _am_ stubborn, I _am_ female, I _am_ a child by your standards, and I _don't_ have any right to be Queen of the Negaverse. But I'm not pathetic, and I'm not _weak_!" As she finished, she dropped to her knees and threw her arms in front of her, flipping him over her shoulder. She ran to the door adjoining her room to Jedite's and opened it, thankful that he'd insisted the leave it unlocked on both sides. "Jedite!" she cried, rushing in. "Jedite, where are you?"

"He's gone, Your Majesty." Jewel sneered as they followed her into the room. "I- excuse me, _you_- sent him on an errand. We're not stupid after all."

'Okay, Jess,' the Queen thought to herself. 'Think. You're on your own with your psycho look-alike and her strongman hunk. Can't fight here, too many people will notice. So, gotta teleport outta here until another idea comes to mind. Sorry, Serena, looks like I'll be seeing you tonight after all.' Jessica teleported out of the Hotel room just as Jem lunged toward her. 'I wonder where she got that ring.' was her last thought before everything faded away.

*@*@*@*@*@

"Something's wrong!" Zoisite exclaimed as she awoke from a dreamless sleep. "Jessie's in danger!"

"It was just a nightmare." Malachite assured her. "Queen J is safe and sound in the Palace of the Negaverse. Jedite is still there to protect her, remember?"

"No she isn't. I saw her earlier with the Sailor Scouts." Zoisite argued. "She had her back to us, but it was her. There's no one else who moves like her, and Jedite was keeping an eye on her. I didn't say anything then because she was having so much fun."

Malachite stared at his wife as he jumped out of bed. "Where is she?" he demanded, knowing she was far more sensitive to the Queen than he was.

"I don't know. I felt her teleport, that's what woke me up. I know she's in trouble, she never teleports anywhere. I'll bet she went to one of the Scouts for help. Or maybe she went to her mother's house. Whoever's after her wouldn't know about that place since she never talks about her past."

"It's a good guess one way or the other he agreed. "But why wasn't Jedite with her?"

*@*@*@*@*@

"Luna!" Serena said as she heard a heavy thud on her floor. "Did you hear that?"

"Of course I heard it, Serena." the cat responded. "I'm not the one who can sleep through anything. Now, turn on the light so we can see what happened."

Serena reached over and flipped on the small lamp by her bed. In the dim light, she saw the form of her friend sprawled on the ground. Only her gentle breathing gave proof that she was still alive.

Luna recovered from her surprise first. "Serena, go get a cold washcloth. I'll try to wake her so we can find out what happened."

"Alright Luna." the blond agreed, walking silently down the hall to the bathroom.

Before Luna could do anything more, Jessie moaned and awoke on her own. "Wh-where am I?" she asked, looking around and feeling confused.

"It's alright, Jessie," the cat assured her. "You're in Serena's bedroom. You teleported in and tripped, I think."

"Do you remember what happened?" Serena asked as she brought the cloth and a cup of water.

The raven-haired woman nodded slowly and stood up. "Yes. There's another servant to the Death Phantom here- and she looks like me!"

"What?!" Luna and Serena stared at her.

"It's true. Except for her hair, she's my mirror image. She even has a ring similar to mine, except that instead of a star, hers has a sun. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear she was my clone, but that's impossible."

"When did you see her?" Luna queried. "And where?"

"She and some strongman jerk were in my hotel room when I got back. She sent Jedite on an 'errand' for her. I didn't transform and fight because I didn't want anyone else getting hurt. There wasn't much time, so I teleported here. I'm sorry, this is the first place I thought of. Don't worry though. I'm calling my ship back and returning to the Negaverse. I have no right to put the Earth through another battle. I'm the one they're after."

"They'll follow you there, Jessie." Serena protested. "We can protect you better here. Besides, the Death Phantom has already tried to destroy Earth once. If you leave, your look-alike might stay behind to finish the job."

"She said her name was Jewel, and she called her friend Jem." Jessie remembered. "Oh, great."

"What's wrong?" cat and blond demanded.

"Zoisite knows I'm in trouble. I'd love to be able to break this link between us. This was _supposed_ to be their honeymoon after all. Bye-bye Earth vacation." She shook her head. "But right now, it's me they're after. I'm pretty sure they intend to have Jewel dye her hair and take my place as Queen so she can free Metellia. That being is more evil than a hundred Beryls. I won't allow her to be freed. The price would be the destruction of the Universe and Negaverse both."

"I thought Metellia was destroyed when we killed Beryl." Serena argued.

"She can't be destroyed. She's been in existence ever since the Negaverse came to be. She will live as long as that dimension exists. It's my job to see that evil is never released into space."

"Tell us some more about those people. What did Jem look like?"

"Gorgeous." Jessie sighed dreamily. "About six feet tall, with honey-brown eyes, and killer lavender hair. He's strong, but I don't know how smart he is. He didn't say much more than his opinion of me- which wasn't very flattering. True, but unflattering."

"What did he say about you?" Serena demanded, ready to defend her friend.

"That I was a weak, pathetic stubborn female child with no right to be Queen. Fact is, I agree with all but two. I'm not weak and I'm not pathetic. Other than that, he and I are in perfect agreement. They both seem to be cruel monsters who have no hearts. When I first saw Jewel, I honestly thought I was staring at a reflection of myself in a mirror. But not even Beryl's eyes were as cold and full of hate as hers were. I'm very sorry to have brought you into this, Serena. As soon as I can meet up with Jedite and the others, I'll be going home. I know that you can protect me, better than all the guards in the Negaverse probably, but I won't put you in any more danger. Listen, if you see me again before I leave, make sure it's really me. Look for the star ring. Then ask me anything about… what happened that day. I've never talked about it with anyone. Hopefully, I won't be alone, so you won't have to ask me anything. I wish you well if we can't get together again until you're Queen. I have to go now, Zoisite and Malachite are looking for me. Here's the cash for that shopping spree I promised you three years ago." As she placed the money on Serena's bed, she began to teleport again.

"Jessie, you can't go." Serena exclaimed. "You can't stop them alone. Please stay."

"It's my fault that Earth's in danger." Jessie whispered. "I need to correct my mistakes on my own. Good-bye my friends."

*@*@*@*@*@

Zoisite teleported into the last house her Queen had called home before taking the throne to the Negaverse. As she had expected, she found Jessie sitting in the middle of what had once been her bedroom. Strangely, everything remained as it had been at that time, despite the fact that Laura Klinto should not remember she'd ever even had a daughter.

"Jessie?" she whispered so as not to frighten her.

The young woman jumped and turned with eyes filled with caution. "Oh thank goodness." Jessie sighed in a hushed voice. "I was hoping one of you would think to check for me here. So much for the honeymoon, huh?"

"It's not your fault, Jess." Zoisite assured her. "Whoever came after you knew exactly where you'd be at just that time. Who knew you'd be leaving the Negaverse when you did?"

"Luna, Artimis and Darien." the Queen answered. "And the girls- except for Serena- found out yesterday. Today was Serena's birthday, so I decided to surprise her. But Zoisite, it's the Death Phantom. He's sent someone else to Earth- someone who looks just like me. Do you know who she could be?"

"No. But we need to get to Malachite. He and I are quite angry at Jedite for leaving you alone."

"I _told_ him to." Jessie protested. "I told him to let me have the chance to be nothing more than a normal person- even if it was just for one day. So far as I know, he went back to the hotel after I asked him to stop baby-sitting me."

Before either could say anything more, the door to the room burst open. In the doorway stood a short, middle-aged woman with red hair and green eyes. "Jessie!" Mrs. Klinto gasped in disbelief. "You've come back. Oh, thank God. I thought I'd never see you again. Where have you been?"

"Ma- Mama?" Jessie whispered. "Zoisite, why does she remember me? The spell didn't work on her. Why?"

"Please tell me, Jessie. What's been going on the last three years? Are you going to stay home now?"

This was the last thing the Queen could handle. She burst into tears. "No Mama, I can't. Zoisite, go find Malachite. It's not fair to leave my mother in the dark like this since the spell didn't work. She has a right to know where I've been and why I can't stay."

"He'll be here." Zoisite said. "We were supposed to meet here if we couldn't find you anywhere else."

"I'm here." Malachite replied from outside the open window before stepping in.

"Mom, I think you'd better sit down. There's a great deal you'll have trouble believing, and this is a long story."

When the four of them were sitting in the semi-circle of the chairs and couches in one corner of the living room, Jessie spoke again. "A little over a thousand years ago, Earth's Moon was home to a great civilization... (AN: I'm _not_ going to go into a blow-by-blow of the Moon Kingdom. If you don't know what happened, then you shouldn't be reading this. Go do some research on Sailor Moon and come back later.)

*@*@*@*@*@

"And now I'm Queen of the Negaverse, Mama." Jessie concluded over an hour later. "I guess the spell we cast to make everyone forget about the most recent battle didn't work on you. I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to remember me at all. I never meant for you to be so worried."

"But that still doesn't explain why you came back." her mother replied. "Are you planning to finish the job this Queen Beryl started? Will you try to release this Metellia?"

"Of course not Mom." the young woman said. "No, it's the Princess Serenity's birthday- or it was. The sun will be up in a few hours. I came to see my friends for a week. These two were supposed to be on their honeymoon, but someone came after me, so as my bodyguards, they had to cut it short. But I'm getting really worried about Jedite. We should have felt him teleporting by now."

He may still believe the other girl is you." Zoisite pointed out. "If she looks that much like you…"

"The Death Phantom knew exactly what he was doing when he sent Jewel and Jem." Jessie agreed. "But what truly frightens me is that she has a ring almost exactly like mine. The only difference is that hers has a sun. Could she be another Sailor Scout?"

"It's possible." Malachite admitted. "But I've never heard of an evil Sailor Scout before. You told me of someone named Black Lady. Didn't you say she had been brainwashed? Could that be what happened to this Jewel?"

"I don't know. Luna told me that Black Lady's eyes were different than they were before she had been brainwashed. I wouldn't know the signs. And, I'd rather not bring the girls into this if we can help it. If possible, I'd prefer to have this battle take place in the Negaverse. It's not fair that Earth should be punished just because I decided to forget about my responsibilities for a few days of fun. If the Death Phantom wants me, he'll have to come after me on our own turf."

"But from what you've just told me, the Sailor Scouts can protect you. Why don't you ask them for help?"

"I'm a Sailor Scout too, Mom." she reminded Mrs. Klinto. "I can protect myself if I need to."

"Jessica Elizabeth Klinto!" her mother retorted sharply. "You've always been independent and self-reliant, but this time you're taking it too far. What happens in the Negaverse if you are killed? Did you ever think of that?"

"That was the second thing I thought of after Beryl was destroyed." Jessie answered. "I have a will in the safe of the Negaverse castle. It states exactly what is to happen should anything bring about my death. That is something I have to think about every day. I wish you didn't have to worry about me anymore."

"But your mother is right _Queen_ Jess." Malachite interrupted. "We _will_ need the help of the Sailor Scouts and Moon Princess. If you won't ask for their help, then _I_ will. I won't let another good Queen die in my lifetime."

"Do what you want!" she gave up angrily. "But I don't like it. My first priority is to find Jedite and make sure he's safe. I came far too close to losing all of you once. I refuse to go through that again. I'll give up my crown before I allow any of you to be harmed."

"Well, we've got to come up with w plan so that we can avoid that possibility at all cost." Zoisite responded firmly. "We need you on the throne with the crown on that thick head of yours."

TBC... 

Okay, that took a _lot_ longer than I intended. Very sorry about that. But, as I said, these chapters are much longer than "Night", and I don't have nearly as much free time on my hands. Pity. I miss that. I'll try to have the next part up before Father's Day. Beyond that, I can't make any promises. Also, there's a reason for Zoisite's sensitivity to Jessie being in danger. I just haven't written the fic which explains it yet. Maybe someday I'll be able to finish it. Anyway, where's Jedite? Why does Mrs. Klinto remember Jessie? Who is Jewel? And what new evil is the Death Phantom up to now? Find out next time I finish typing! 


	3. Jewel's Profile

JEWEL'S BIO 

Name: Jewel

Age: ???

DOB: ???

Hair: Blond 

Eyes: Black 

Height: 5' 3" 

Parents: ???

Grade: Never went to school.

Fav subject: Never went to school.

Least favorite subject: Same as above. 

Fav Food: Pork. 

Least Fav Food: Any seafood

Fav Color: Black

Background: Serving the Death Phantom since her birth, Jewel has no memory of her parents or her homeworld. Her only clue to the past is Jem, a loyal friend who has been with her for as long as she can remember. Her harsh manner seems to be hiding a kind sprit, however, and no one is truly able to understand what lurks in the dark corners of her mind...

Okay, I'm _really sorry_ I haven't updated in so long. I've had a lot of personal problems going on, and last Saturday a cat I've had for seventeen and a half years had to be put down. I'll get the next chapter typed up as quickly as I can now that I have more time to do so. Here's just the bio I made up for Jewel for the moment. _ I _ know the info in the questions not answered, but you're not supposed to just yet. Later! Kara


	4. Day Two, Part One

Happy Birthday to Mina! Happy Birthday to Mina! Happy Birthday dear Kara! Happy Birthday to Mina! Boy, for a while there, I didn't think I'd be able to finish this on time, but Hope finally left me alone long enough to get some typing done. Anyone want a _very_ cranky muse who never lets you rest? Let me know, I'll pop her in the mail for you. Life was _much_ easier before she introduced herself. Anyway, this chapter had to be split into two parts, so read 'em both!

Chapter 2, Day 2 

"I don't understand why Jessie won't let us help her." Lita complained. "We owe her big-time for helping us find the Princess. Even if she was right in front of us all along."

"I agree, girls." Luna nodded. "But we don't even know where she is, let alone how to help her."

"Queen Jessica is in danger?" Jedite demanded as he walked up to them. "That's impossible. She was just fine when I left her last night. What sort of game are you playing, Sailor Scouts?"

"It's no game, Jedite." Malachite answered as he, Zoisite and Jessie came in from behind him. Our Queen _is_ in danger."

"That wasn't me you spoke with last night." Jessie added as she plopped on the grass. "That girl's name is Jewel, and she's a servant of the Death Phantom's."

"_Another_ one?" Jedite moaned. "I thought the Wiseman was the last of them. I wonder how many others he has hidden away. But she looked exactly like you. Her voice, her movements, everything was perfect."

"You didn't find it strange that I was a _blond_?"

He shrugged. "Her hair was wrapped up in a towel. I couldn't see it."

"She must have been planning this for a very long time." Rei said as she followed Jessie's example and seated herself on the soft ground. "From the day Jessie was crowned Queen, most likely."

"What are you doing here, Jessie?" Serena asked. "I thought you were going back to the Negaverse."

Jessie glared at Malachite and Zoisite. "I don't want your help, Serena." she murmured quietly. "I don't think it's fair for me to put you through another battle so soon after the last fight. However, our beloved newlyweds seem to agree with you on the idea that Jewel and Jem will remain to finish the Wiseman's mission of destroying Earth. Therefore, I have to request your help, regardless of my personal feelings on the matter."

"You're just trying to protect us, Jessie." Mina replied. "But right now, it's you who needs protection. We're here to help you, whenever you need us."

"Mina's right." Lita agreed. "You don't have to go through this alone."

"Thank you guys." Jessie smiled. "But somehow I get the impression that Lita's just looking for an excuse to fight as Sailor Jupiter."

"You know us that well, do you?"

"She's paid special attention to any reports she can get about you six, Rei." Zoisite answered. "She has another source besides Central Control who's given her much more detailed information on what has happened on Earth."

"Who?" Luna demanded. "No one else knows who the Sailor Scouts are. Who gives you this knowledge?"

Jessie shrugged. "Sailor Pluto." She commented in an offhanded tone. "When Luna told me about the Scout of Time, I thought it might be helpful if she and I met. She's stopped by every few days since then to let me know what's going on with the rest of the planet. She's a little more formal than I'm used to, but I like her. The company's always nice. It's good for her to see people every now and then too."

"Do you think she could help us now?" Luna suggested. "It seemed that she was very powerful the one time we met her."

"I wouldn't know how to contact her, Luna. The first time I met her, she just came up behind me. Since then, she's come on her own, whether I'm expecting her or not. I wish that Small Lady- er, excuse me, Rini- was here. She's able to talk to Pluto whenever she wants."

"Rini's in the future where she belongs." Serena replied firmly. "Let's not put her in any more danger."

"I agree." Darien nodded. "I won't allow my daughter to be hurt."

"I'm not saying I want to put her in harm's way." Jessie protested. "I just wish she was here so we could talk to Puu. That's Rini's nickname for her."

"You know full well that only Small Lady is permitted to call me that, Jessica." Pluto answered, appearing in a ball-like field. 

"Sailor Pluto!" they all gasped in surprise.

"Can you help us defeat Jewel?" Ami asked once she'd recovered.

The Scout shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to leave the Time Warp long enough to help you."

"Well then," Jessie said. "Can you at least tell us who she is? Where she came from?"

"Like Small Lady, Jewel's mind has been possessed by the Death Phantom. I also believe she is a Sailor Scout, but there is no proof."

"That would make sense." Mina nodded. "Jessie saw a ring with a sun on it on Jewel's finger."

"Sailor Pluto," Jedite interrupted. "Is there any chance that she could be related to Princess Rosa? If it weren't for that towel wrapped around her head to hide her hair, I'd swear she was Jessie."

"Yes," Pluto admitted. "Her twin sister, in fact. The Wiseman tried to get both of you, Queen Jessica, but I stopped him before he could grab you as well. He got away before I could help your sister."

"I can't believe it." Jessie whispered. "I had a sister? How could that be? My parents would have told me about her!" The young woman stood up and teleported away without saying another word.

*@*@*@*@*@

Jem and Jewel had remained in the rooms which Jessie and Jedite kept at the Lyon. Both were very surprised to see her walking into her room dressed as a Sailor Scout.

"Queen Jessica," Jem murmured quietly. "It wasn't known that you are a Scout-wannabe. What do you call yourself, Sailor Negaverse?

"You know," Night replied in a mild tone. "I've already given you full marks for muscles, don't make me take them away for brains. It's not Scout-envy. I _am_ a Sailor Scout. And the name is Sailor _Night_; after the name of my home world. I ran before to keep innocents from being killed. I've come back to tell you this; leave Earth alone. These people have gone through enough. I know what your master wants, and I won't allow it to happen. Only by my order- the real me, not some look-alike- can that evil be freed. Tell the Death Phantom as much, Jewel. And tell him also that I shall soon be freeing the true Princess of Night, as well." As suddenly as she'd walked in, she teleported out, laughing slightly as she did so.

*@*@*@*@*@

"Is there any way you can remove her ability to teleport in and out like that?" Serena muttered after Jessie had reappeared as quickly as she had vanished. "Where did you go?"

Jessie smirked. "One question at a time, please." She said a moment later. "First of all, not if they want to keep their jobs. Teleportation is one of the best modes of non-violent self-defense you could have. It's saved my life many times- right after I was crowned as well as last night. I die and they get to go looking through the classifieds for new work. Secondly, I stopped in on Mom to check on her, then went to see if I could find my sister. I did."

"Ring please." Serena piped up.

"Here you are." Jessie smiled again as she held up her hand which wore a newly-adjusted star ring. "Anything else?"

"Who put Jedite in the coma?" Rei asked.

"And how did it happen?" Ami added.

"I did." Jessie answered, no longer smiling. "Jedite wouldn't let us pass to get to Beryl, so I used the Stars Shine to weaken him. I made sure the blast was weak enough for him to block it, but he didn't even try."

"It's her." Jedite said. "She's never spoken to anyone about the strength of her attack. Not even to me."

"I've never spoken of that day at all." The Queen corrected quietly. "You picked the most painful memories of that day."

"That's why we asked about it." Mina said. "We thought you'd prefer it if we asked you the hardest questions first."

"You never did tell me how you saved my life that day, either."

"No, Jedite, I guess we didn't." Zoisite agreed. "Did you plan on telling him, Jess?"

"I don't know. I guess we can now, if you'd like. After Nephrite betrayed Beryl, he took the energy you and he stole and hid it in the castle. Mercury found it with her computer and we gave it to you to keep you alive. No big secret, we just never got around to talking about it."

"So, what happened with your sister? Did you tell her?"

"Nothing. I asked her to deliver a message to the Death Phantom, that's all. The message was that I would *NEVER* release Metellia, and that I would free the Princess of Night from her prison."

"You're assuming that Jewel is your sister. We could be wrong, you know." Ami pointed out.

"We're not, Ami. I have a sister from Night who just happens to be my identical twin. Who else could it be?"

"Besides, she said she'd free the Princess, not here sister." Lita added. "Even if we're wrong, we may be able to find the right girl."

Ami nodded, but still looked slightly doubtful.

"They're staying at the hotel, if anyone wanted to know. But right now, we're going back to my mom's place so we can watch the tape of the wedding. There's something at the end of it that I think you'll just love."

Her three bodyguards laughed at the few sentences she had said before the cameras had stopped rolling.

"Let's get going." Serena ordered. "I gotta see this."

*@*@*@*@*@

Darien finished work that day and walked out of the building. Despite the fact that he knew she was on Earth, he couldn't help but feel shock at seeing Jessica wandering the streets. But the real surprise was the man she walked with. "Hey Jessie!" he called out.

She didn't even glance around. She was deeply engrossed in whatever the man was talking about.

"Hmmmm..." he murmured. "She must not have heard me. I'll see her later. I wonder why she decided to go blond."

*@*@*@*@*@

"Jessica!" her mother roared angrily. "Why didn't you tell me you're engaged? I thought we agreed you'd let me at least meet your future husband- *before* you announced it on television."

"Mom," Jessie laughed. "I promise, when and _if_ I find a husband, you'll be the first to know. I said that I was _planning_ my wedding, not that I'm engaged."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Klinto." Jedite assured her. "I had exactly the same reaction. She said something about every girl planning her wedding from birth. Or her doing so, anyway."

"And guess what, Mom?" Jessie added brightly. "Those two people who want to capture me? Well, the girl is really my twin sister from my other life. She's been brainwashed by that evil being we told you about last night. I always wanted a sister, but I never dreamed that when I got one, she'd try to kill me."

"You've got a big problem then." Mrs. Klinto replied. "Because I'm not letting you out of my sight until I know you're safe."

"And that would be never." Zoisite said sadly. "There's always danger for Queen Jess. Simply because she's the Queen. That's why we're here, to protect one of those who is capable of restoring peace between our two dimensions. Beryl caused a lot of damage while she was on the throne. In just a few years, she destroyed a trust that had existed for twenty thousand years. There's much work to be done before we can even come close to regaining everything we've lost. We may never see true peace again in our lifetime."

"We will." Jessie promised. "If we give up hope of that, then we may as well surrender right now." Her eyes were determined. "And I refuse to surrender. Yes, Beryl destroyed the trust between our dimensions. But most of the damage is wounded pride. And all of that is on our side, so far as I can see. We'll have to get into a lot of official stuff; but it's mainly for show. The real work will be behind the scenes."

"Will we ever see each other again?" Serena asked. "Other than at some important ceremonial gatherings, I mean?"

"Who knows? The future is not ours to know. It can be easily changed by even the smallest of details."

*@*@*@*@*@

"So, Queen Jessica intends to free the Princess of Night, does she?" the Death Phantom said. "Very well. This could be used to our advantage. Jem, you will inform Her Majesty that we will release her Princess if she gives herself in exchange. Even if she refuses, we win."

"I will obey, Master." Jem answered as he bowed before the now-fading image. When he was able to, he turned his back on the mirror and spat. For Jewel's sake, he would obey the order. He cared of nothing else but her safety. He knew who she was. He also knew the Wiseman had failed in his mission when he had kidnapped the small babe. Jessica had been the one they'd wanted. *_She_ was the Sailor Scout. Jewel had no such power, regardless of what the legends claimed about the royal twins of Night."

*@*@*@*@*@

The six Scouts knocked on Darien's apartment door and were happy to find him home. "Hello, girls," he smiled as they walked in. "Who was that guy you were with, Jessie? I didn't think you knew anyone else on Earth other than us. And why did you change your hair again?"

"Huh?" Jessie's face was blank. "Darien, the only guys I've been with today are Jedite and Malachite. And the girls of course." Then, it hit her. "That wasn't me you saw, Darien. Her name is Jewel, and she's under the power of the Death Phantom. And here's the real kicker; she's also my twin sister. Be careful of that guy, though. He's strong and very fast."

"That would explain why she didn't answer when I called out to her."

"Guess what, Darien?" Serena said smiling. "Jessie's planning her wedding."

His face was surprised. "Who's the lucky guy?" he asked.

"Serena's just teasing you, Darien. I've got the dress and everything else picked out- except the groom. It seems like all the good ones are either taken or not interested." She smiled. "Right now, though, all I want is to force my sister from that monster. We can figure out who my true love is after that."

*@*@*@*@*@

'I have to admit.' Jewel thought as she rummaged through the suitcase on the bed. 'The Queen has excellent taste in clothing. And she didn't plan on staying very long.' Toward the bottom of the bag, she found a small narrow box. Deciding to finish what she'd started by opening Jessica's suitcase, she carefully lifted the lid and looked inside. It was packed with pictures from both before and after the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. She leafed through them idly, noticing that the Queen herself was seldom in the photographs prior to the battle. When she was, she was giving looks of mock-rage from having her picture taken. Despite the fact that her mouth was scrawling or opened as though yelling no, her eyes were laughing, showing she didn't really mind as much as she was pretending to.

These twenty or so photos from before the Negaverse showed either her three bodyguards with one other man, or the Moon Princess and her court, the Sailor Scouts.

The ones from after the battle were completely different. These showed her in swimming suits or jeans rather than in formal gowns with a tiara. In several she was with a middle-aged woman with reddish hair and green eyes. Without meaning to, she dropped one of them. It fell facedown on the bed and she noticed the writing on the back of it. The top gave three sets of numbers which meant nothing to her. Under them was written "Mom and me at my 12th birthday party."

"How odd." Jewel said aloud. "The Queen has a mother on Earth. She must take after her father's family."

She went back to the pictures from the Moon Kingdom and looked at their backs. Each had a set of numbers and a small comment underneath. She found one with just Jessica and the man who was not a bodyguard. This one said; "Me and Nephrite at Beryl's coronation." This one had been held many times, for it was worn and had a few small tearstains. Under the description of where they were was a small comment about her mysterious friend. "He was no angel, but he was my friend. He had a kind heart and a gentle soul. I will never forgive Beryl for his death."

"Jem?" she called out into the next room. "I'd like to show you something."

The lavender-haired man opened the adjoining door and walked in. "Yes?" he asked. "What is it?"

She silently handed him the box of pictures. As he started to glance through them, she spoke again. "I was examining her belongings to see what I could find out about her. Those were at the bottom of her suitcase. There's some information written on the backs. Did you know that Jessica was present at Queen Beryl's coronation?"

"Yes," Jem acknowledged. "That was when she stated her opinion for Beryl. She delivered it in a polite, well thought out speech to all the people of the Negaverse. I'm not sure which angered Beryl more, Jessica's rejection, or the way she did it. And Beryl was the only one who knew it was a declaration of hate. To anyone else, it was just a few kind words expressing her thanks to the new leader for all that had been done for her. Jessica is normally very subtle when she insults someone. She was trying to anger me when she questioned my intelligence this morning." He reached the last of the pictures and studied it carefully. "I remember this event. That was the last party Jessica attended before the Negaverse attacked. Look at her eyes. She knew that life as she knew it would soon be ending." 

Jewel looked closely into the younger Jessica's eyes. It was true. Although she had been having fun, there was a pained and haunted look in her expression. In this photo alone was she smiling. With herself in the middle of the group, Zoisite and Malachite stood one her right side, while Jedite and Nephrite were on her left. Each of her four friends had a similar look of pain hidden deeply in their faces.

"Nephrite was the general who fell in love with a human of Earth, wasn't he?" she remembered.

"Yes. By Queen Beryl's order, Zoisite destroyed him for his betrayal. It's often been suspected that Jessica blames her for his death, but she'll never admit it."

*@*@*@*@*@

The six girls stayed at Darien's apartment for several hours, trying to come up with *something* but failing.

Finally, Jessie got up and stretched. "Well, people," she said around a large yawn. "As much fun as this has been, I'm tired. I got no sleep last night thanks to Jewel, so I think I'll go home and take a nap. I'll see you later, alright? Come on over if you come up with any ideas. Mom won't mind."

Before anyone could respond, she opened the door where the former generals of Beryl were keeping an eye out for trouble. The four people left as if it had been discussed among them where they were going.

"That was abrupt." Serena complained. "Why was she so rude?"

"She didn't mean to be." Ami assured her. "She's been on the verge of passing out for some time now. I would have suggested she get a couple hours of sleep on the couch if she hadn't left."

Rei stretched. "This has been the least productive meeting we've ever had. We're just repeating what we already know."

"If you like, you could always go back to the Temple and help Chad with his chores."

"Shut up, Serena." The black-haired girl retorted half-heartedly.

*@*@*@*@*@

Jessie deliberately walked home slowly, taking the most roundabout way she could, avoiding the most populated parts of the city. Jedite, Malachite and Zoisite were nowhere to be found. It was the perfect setup for the servants of the Death Phantom to attack.

Jem took the bait. "Don't worry, Queen Jessica," he said coldly. "I'm here to deliver my Master's answer to your message. If you want your sister back, then you must give yourself in her place."

"So Jewel is my twin." she murmured. "And I expected that monster to make such an offer. Meet me here tomorrow at noon and I'll tell you my decision then. I don't make choices of this importance lightly. Or when I'm half asleep."

He nodded once before vanishing.

"Did you get all that?" she called out, looking up.

"Every word." Zoisite acknowledged grimly. "You're not going to go through with it, are you?"

"I don't know." Jessie admitted. "It's very tempting, but then again, I'm not thinking very clearly at the moment. Ask me again after we've all had a few hours sleep."

"I told you we wouldn't be seen if we watched you from the top of the buildings." Jedite gloated. "We're not leaving you alone again. At least one of us will be with you at all times this is over."

"Bye-bye privacy." Jessie sighed. "But would one of you please inform the girls of what's just happened? If you want them to help me, then they need to know all the facts. And they have a right to know that I may wind up doing something very stupid tomorrow to help my sister."

"I'll go." Malachite offered, teleporting away, not giving the others a chance to respond. "We're not going to let you do this, Jessie." Jedite said firmly. "Even if you weren't our Queen, you're still our friend." She smiled her thanks, but said nothing, choosing instead to continue the last block or so to her mother's house in silence. 


	5. Day Two, Part Two

Chapter 2, Day 2, Part 2 

"She's crazy!" Luna gasped. "How could she even _think_ about giving herself to the Death Phantom?"

"She's just found out she has a sister, Luna." Serena murmured. "Now, she wants her freed."

"Besides," Mina added. "Didn't she admit that she wasn't thinking very clearly at the moment?"

"That's what she claimed." Malachite agreed. "But she's gone longer than this without sleep and still had perfectly good logic. I very much doubt she got more than three hours sleep during that last week when Beryl tried to get her to serve Metellia. And she still managed to outwit us _and_ get you the Sliver Moon Crystal. 

"She didn't really think it would work." Rei said. "Remember she left that tape in my tree in case Beryl got the Crystal. Everything she told us later was on it, as well as an apology for not telling us who the Princess was. She really thought she was protecting you, Serena."

"Well, you can't let her give herself to that monster. As both the Queen of the Negaverse and a Sailor Scout, she is too important in this battle for us to lose her."

"And technically," Malachite added. "She is also the Queen of Night. But they are able to rule themselves without too much interference on Jessie's part."

"We'll go talk to her later." Ami said. "Let's let her get a couple hours sleep before demanding she get a grip on reality."

*@*@*@*@*@

"You did _what_?" Her black eyes flashing with anger, Jewel stared at the man she'd known all her life. "Why did you agree to such a thing? If Jessica wants the Princess of her homeworld released, then she shouldn't have to think about it! She should just do it."

"It is only one day, Mistress." Jem pointed out. "And it is indeed a trade of some importance. Is she willing to surrender her entire kingdom to save one person? She would be a fool _not_ to think it over before deciding on the fate of her people."

Jewel felt herself unwilling calm down as she listened to his reason. He was right, as always. The Queen wasn't known for making rash decisions. In a way, she was surprised Jessica only wanted one day to consider her choice. It didn't give the girl much time to save both the Princess and herself. "Could she be up to something?"

"It's possible." he agreed. "But if she swears to join our Master, then she will. She's a good Queen, and as a person, she keeps her word. Even for a human, she's rather stupid in that aspect."

Jewel nodded and looked back down at the pictures she had found in Jessica's suitcase. They now covered the large nightstand near the bed.

She realized she had not finished going through the suitcase that sat next to her. There was little of interest she found as she pulled a few more outfits from the bottom. "Hmm, what's this?" she wandered aloud as she pulled the final item from the bag. In her hand she held a thick spiral notebook. The cover contained no markings to indicate what it was, so she opened it.

Inside, written in a sloppy but readable hand, was another set of numbers followed by nearly two pages of writing. "Jem, we've hit the jackpot here." she said laughing. "I've just found Queen Jessica's journal." She read the first few pages carefully, searching for hidden meanings, but found nothing. Instead, it talked about something called gymnastics meets, school, and conversations she'd had with her family.

Then, on an entry marked 03-8-96, it changed. The comments were made in an offhanded way, as if an afterthought at the end of the day's note. "Today I net five really nice girls at the Arcade. Serena, Ami and Lita go to the same school I'm starting at tomorrow. Also, a strange woman came over when I got back home. She kept calling me 'Sailor Night' and insisting that she knew me from something called the 'Moon Kingdom'. What was she talking about? And why does she seem so familiar when I first saw her? It's so strange…"

"She forgot all that happened on the Moon Kingdom." Jewel whispered. "I wonder how she got her memory back?"

"Doesn't it say?" Jem asked, moving closer to read over her shoulder.

She flipped through the pages, skimming them quickly. "No. She mentions Zoisite and the Scouts, but she doesn't say how she remembered anything. She'd even written notes about her plans to regain the Sliver Crystal for the Princess. I never imagined she was so tricky." She turned the pages more slowly, becoming more interested in her enemy's life. "It worked too." Jewel read in silence for some time, learning the secrets of the Queen she had been sent to capture. Plans for the Negaverse, parties she'd attended, so much of it was different from the person she appeared to be. The last entry had been made on the day she'd arrived on Earth.

"6-29-99," Jewel read aloud. "It's hard to believe that Zoisite and Malachite are finally married. The wedding was beautiful, as I knew it would be, but I wish they hadn't insisted I be there. The press follows me everywhere, and they wanted their vows to be private. Instead, they were married on live TV, for all the Negaverse to see. At least I got my revenge on the idiots who were behind the cameras. I wonder when they'll figure out that I'm not engaged- at least not yet. I wish I could tell him how I feel…"

"Who is she talking about?" Jem wondered.

"She doesn't say." The Queen's look-alike shrugged. "Want me to keep reading? There's a little more about the Sailor Scouts."

He shrugged. "Why not? We've invaded her privacy this much, let's finish it off."

"'Later;" the girl read on. "I saw Darien and the Scouts as soon as I got to Tokyo. Thank goodness Serena wasn't there too, or it'd have ruined our surprise for her birthday tomorrow. I hope they all like their presents. It took me forever to find those rings. I doubt they'll ever need the power, but they are beautiful. Later still; I've told Jedite I'm going to nap off my jetlag, but I think I'll just take a walk and see how much the city's changed instead. Even if it's just for a few hours, I'd like to be a normal person of Earth again. I miss being able to walk down the street without an armed escort. I know Jedite, Malachite and Zoisite are there to protect me, but I'd still like a private life every now and then."

"Lady Jewel, why did you stop?"

"That's how it ends. Are we doing the right thing Jem? I almost feel sorry for Queen Jessica. What's wrong with me?"

"Perhaps you need a boost from the Dark Crystal. You've given up your last three chance to receive the energy from our Master."

"Who am I, Jem?" she asked an hour later, rereading the large notebook. "Who was I before I served the Death Phantom? I can't remember."

The young woman's question would not be answered that evening, for he said nothing more until the next day.

*@*@*@*@*@

Jessie awoke and smiled at the sight before her. "Hello, guys," she said to her eleven friends standing just outside her door. "I thought you said _one_ of you would be with me at all times, Jedite, not a small army."

"Sorry, Queen Jessica," he apologized. "But they said they had to see you as soon as you woke up."

"Alright, you've seen me. Now, go downstairs while I take a quick shower and get out of my pajamas. I'll join you in twenty minutes or so."

Before they could protest, she had entered her bathroom, locked the door behind her and turned on the shower, determined to at least wash her hair before answering any of their questions.

Downstairs, her friends waited anxiously for Jessie to join them.

"Is she likely to take long?" Darien asked. "When Serena used to tell us twenty minutes, we'd go see a movie or something."

If looks could kill, there would have been four Sailor Scouts and one Prince of Earth dead on the floor. "We'll talk about _that_ later." Serena hissed. "Now, we're going to wait for Jessie- _and_ have a quick snack."

"No." Rei contradicted. "Right now, we're going to tie you to a chair so you don't eat the Klinto's out of house and home. Sit!"

The blond girl sat and they remained silent until Jessie came downstairs.

"First order of business," she stated once she'd come down almost twenty minutes later. "I'm sure Serena's starving, so I'll pull out the chocolate cheesecake Mom bought this morning just for us. There's also a bunch of other junk-food to munch on too. I warned her about our little Moon Princess's big stomach, so she stocked up big-time."

Serena was the first one into the kitchen.

"Next," Luna said once they'd gotten their snacks. "You're going to tell us just what you were thinking when you agreed to consider turning yourself over the Death Phantom in order to save your sister."

"Jessie, don't you realize you'd be handing the Negaverse to the enemy?" Ami asked. "Not to mention the planet Night."

"No." Jessie disagreed. "I'd be giving them Sailor Night, no one else. I both can and will give up my right as Queen should I choose to go through with Jem's offer. It's very tempting to do that anyway, sometimes."

"So, what are you going to do?" Serena demanded. "You don't have much time left."

"Even if I knew- which I don't- I wouldn't tell you, Serena. Should I decide to give myself up, you would either try to talk me out of it, or do something to prevent me from meeting them. But there is something else you need to know- I'm not basing this choice on what would be best for anyone other than my sister. This is no one else's business, and, quite frankly, you have no say in the matter. I'll listen to arguments against my agreeing, but think about this; Jewel's been serving the Death Phantom literally since the day we were born. If I take her place, wouldn't she be able to give you all sorts of wonderful information on how to destroy him? I can't, you know."

"When are you going to decide?"

"And what do you mean it's none of our business?" Darien added. "You're our friend, and we ought to have some say in what you decide. Don't forget, you were born on Earth, so that makes me your Prince. I could order you to inform us of your decision once you've made it."

"Why would I decide anything until tomorrow? I know what my heart tells me to do, and I know what would be best for me to do as Queen. I hope I can find some sort of compromise between the two."

The others stared at her in silence for a long time before leaving.

*@*@*@*@*@

Jessie was curled on her bed, clutching a pillow and sobbing when her mother got home a few hours later.

"Honey?" Mrs. Klinto asked, knocking on the locked door. "Are you alright?"

The dark-haired girl took a deep breath and called back in a calm voice. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. I guess everything that's happened to me the last couple of days has finally caught up with me emotionally." She stood up and unlocked her door.

"Jessie, your friend- Malachite?- told me something's bothering you. What is it?"

"Well, let's see. Yesterday, I had more fun than I've had in the last three years combined. Then, late last night, I get back to my hotel and find my evil look-alike waiting for me. I run into the next room for help from my bodyguard who's missing. I teleport into the bedroom of a fellow Sailor Scout and wind up unconscious for a full five minutes before being able to tell her what's happened. Next, I refuse her offer of help and teleport again- this time to the last place I'd called home before leaving the planet. Then, my mother- who should have forgotten I'd ever existed- comes into my old room and starts demanding where I've been for the last three years, so I wind up putting her in very great danger by telling her.

"Finally- after no sleep- I meet up with the Sailor Scouts and admit that while I don't _want_ their help, I do _need_ it. After this, I find out that my look-alike is really my twin sister whom I've never even known existed. Now, I've been given an offer I don't think I can refuse- give myself to my enemy to save my sister who still doesn't know we're related." Jessie paused for breath at last. "So, what could possibly be bothering me, Mama?"

"How long before you have to decide?"

She looked at the alarm clock she'd sworn to replace three years before. "Oh… about eighteen hours. I'm supposed to meet them a few blocks from here at noon tomorrow. For the first time in my life, I may have to ignore my heart in order to protect my people. Oh Momma, what can I do?"

"Listen to your heart, Jessie. It's never led you down the wrong path before, has it?"

"How do you follow a path that could cost billions of innocent people their lives? Either path goes against my heart because someone will get hurt." Her eyes brightened suddenly and she laughed. "Maybe I can do something after all. I wonder who'll kill me first, my worst enemy or my best friends? They're both going to be pissed when they realize what I'm doing. I might be able to save all involved after all."

"What do you have planned, Jess?" Zoisite demanded as she also walked into the room. "You had that look on your face when you tricked me into bringing you Beryl's six Rainbow Crystals into that meadow and every other time you've outsmarted us. What's going on in that hard head of yours?"

Jessica shook her head. "It's only half an idea right now, so I don't want to talk about it just yet. Let me think it over completely before I lose my train of thought. It might not even work." Her smirk said something different, but she ignored their questions as she rummaged through her old desk, hunting for a pencil and an old notebook. "There we go." She murmured happily, seating herself in her favorite "thinking chair." "Now, let's get to work." She said to herself, scribbling down different ideas.

When Zoisite walked over to read over her shoulder, Jessie gave her a filthy look. "Do you mind?" she asked. "I don't want you ruining my surprise. I wonder if Luna can drag Serena out of bed early enough to be here by nine. I'll have to call and find out."

"Why do you want them here _that_ early? It's only a ten minute walk to where you need to meet those other people."

"I need a few witnesses for what I've got planned, Mom. People outside the Negaverse Royalty. That removes you- as family- and our three guests, since they're bodyguards. Therefore, I need the Scouts. And," she added, crumbling the papers she'd written on. "You're not going to find out anything more until morning." As she spoke, the few papers burst into flames while her mother stared.

"Where'd you learn to do _that_?"

Nephrite taught me before the Moon Kingdom was destroyed. It's really fun, so long as you keep your mind on what you're doing. And, it really annoys all the government officials who've spent weeks looking for notes and such from the rulers of other planets here in the Universe. They _hate_ the idea of not knowing every single detail of my life. That's why I declared I was planning my wedding- just to get them really angry. I _so_ can't wait to get ahold of the gossip magazines when I get back; just to see who they've got me engaged to this week."

"You little trickster." Her mother laughed. "I can't say I blame you. You've got to have _some_ fun, ruling an entire dimension by yourself. Is the Negaverse as large as the Universe?"

"No. The Universe is at least fifty times larger. We're not sure of the exact size difference because so much of the Universe is still unexplored. Beryl was the first Queen in at least twenty thousand years who wasn't happy with control over just one dimension. She could have been an excellent Queen if she'd only focused her energy toward her people. Three years haven't made even a dent in the damage she caused with her neglect. Thank goodness my home planet doesn't need me very often or I'd be a real basket case."

"You mean you're normal for an Earthling?" Zoisite demanded. "I guess I'd better cancel the order on that straight jacket then, huh?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Jessie answered, deadpan. "Remind me again why I made my three best friends my bodyguards?"

Mrs. Klinto was about to respond, but this was obviously an old joke between them because they both smiled. Everything seemed to be going nicely, so she went back downstairs, where Jedite and Malachite were trying to fix dinner without blowing up the kitchen

*@*@*@*@*@

"Hello?" Serena asked into the phone.

"Serena? This is Jessie. Um… do you think you could get up early enough to be here by nine tomorrow? There's something I need to do, and it won't be legal without witnesses outside the Negaverse political circle. I thought you, Darien and the other girls could help."

"Sure," the leader of the Scouts agreed. "What do you have planned?"

"Hopefully, something that will keep everyone in this battle save- with the exception of the Death Phantom, of course." Jessie answered vaguely. "You don't have to do anything, just be here. I'll make breakfast afterward, if you like."

"Sure! But, Jessie… Don't do something you're going to regret, okay? We don't want to see you get hurt more than you already have. Be careful."

"There's not very much that can hurt me anymore, Serena." Jessie whispered before hanging up. "But I'll be careful."

Jessie sighed as she picked up the phone again. One down and five to go. Strange, she was almost looking forward to the next day. Maybe all these sudden changes in her life were becoming routine. She only hoped she was doing the right thing.

Jessie sighed again and dialed Darien's number.

*@*@*@*@*@

Memories drifted in and out of her sleeping mind. Battles against her enemies. Wishes made on shooting stars. Parties, funerals. Laughter, tears. So much joy and sorrow had taken place in her life. What would happen tomorrow? Would she be receiving a new friend, or recognizing an old foe?

Jewel awoke from her troubled sleep. She seldom dreamed, but when she did, it always meant something. Usually, the dreams told her it was time for an energy boost from the Dark Crystal.

But this one was different. It was almost as if she'd been searching for something in her sleep, but she hadn't been able to find it. Now, as her mind tried desperately to remember, she asked herself again what she had asked Jem. "Who am I?"

It's amazing how a mailbox full of reviews can inspire you to type the next Chapter more quickly, huh? I think Venus Smurf did all _19_ reviews at the same time, too. Thanks!! If you haven't read her work yet, DO SO NOW! She's awesome. Oh, anyone who reviews, leave your e-mail adress, and I'll send you a scene from the next fic. It won't make much sense at the momment, but I promise, it will later! Anyway, I have better things to do on my 21st b-day than type at you, so, so long!

Hope: Next time; a choice is made, and the Pink Demon returns! Also, it will be another two part chapter so it'll be a long wait again. Sorry 'bout that.


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